MARTIN O'Neill has backed Stiliyan Petrov to find a "surge" in his form after admitting the midfielder is suffering from a slump.

MARTIN O'Neill has backed Stiliyan Petrov to find a "surge" in his form after admitting the midfielder is suffering from a slump.

Petrov was scintillating in the weeks following his #7million transfer from Celtic and O'Neill wants to see a return to those confident displays as Villa head for Everton tomorrow.

The midfielder made a stunning debut at West Ham in September and followed that up with eye-catching performances against Watford, Chelsea and Tottenham in the Premiership.

But he has now failed to open his scoring account in 11 matches in all competitions and following another low-key performance at Chelsea in the Carling Cup on Wednesday, O'Neill has moved swiftly to give the Bulgarian his seal of approval.

O'Neill said: "The performance against West Ham and the performance against Chelsea in our 1-1 league draw were typical of him against big sides in big games. I think he is just settling in.

"He will surge back again. Once he gets his bearings here he will be absolutely fine. He knows himself. For the sort of level that he has set himself, he will want to get back to that as quickly as possible."

O'Neill wants to see the return of Petrov's ball-running game, rather than taking easier options.

He said: "I feel at some times in the game he is passing it rather too easily rather than bursting forward with the ball which is his strength.

"I am all for keeping things simple for a while, but if he bursts into their half then I feel he could go a wee bit further because I know he is capable of doing it.''

Petrov's slump in form seemed to coincide with Gavin McCann's recent calf injury.

O'Neill added: "I just feel that his role, when Gavin McCann went out of the side, changed a little bit. I thought then when Gavin came back in last Saturday that he might be able to join the centre-forwards more easily.

"It didn't necessarily turn out the way we planned, and I just think that with Gavin back in there, it will give Petrov a licence to get forward again.

"I know that we haven't seen it yet but when he gets a goal he tends to go on little rolls, or little runs, of four, five, six games on the trot where he will score."